15 easy airplane activities for toddlers and little kids

If you don’t want to carry around an iPad, the Amazon Fire Kids tablet is a great item for kids of all ages. The kids tablet includes one year of Amazon Kids+, parental controls, a case and a two-year guarantee. With the Amazon Kids+ subscription, your kids will have access to a plethora of books, videos, apps and games — all created with kids in mind. Parents are also able to customize the tablet by setting screen time limits, setting education goals and managing web browsing.

Not sure where to begin or don’t have time to put together all the toys and activities to bring on the plane with you? If you fall into that bucket — and we don’t blame you — we’ve got the perfect solution. The Mo-On-The-Go is a kid-friendly travel backpack that comes filled with nine different reusable activities. From open-ended silicone cupcake containers and Play-Doh to a coloring mat and stickers, your child will never be bored on their next flight.

Want your kids to pass the time with some coloring but also want to avoid the mess? Water Wow! coloring books from Melissa & Doug are some of our favorite airplane activities — especially for toddlers — since the books can be used over and over again. No need to bring a large bag full of crayons, markers and paper.

Activity books are great at keeping children of all ages occupied. This Tape activity book, which is ideal for children aged 4 to 7, includes four rolls of colored tape and 20 reusable pages to complete your own designs. As with all Melissa & Doug products, the activity book is high quality and will stay intact for many flights to come.

Crayons are a classic pastime, but they can easily break, and when you’re traveling in the air without a replacement nearby, that’s the last thing you want to happen. Instead, these twistable crayons ensure your coloring accessories stay in one piece for your entire trip, as they come in a plastic barrel that protects the core of the crayon. The pack features 24 different colors to create the perfect masterpiece.

I found that as my kids got older, markers were preferred more than crayons. But, because of their circular shape, the markers would always roll down the airplane’s seatback trays. Welcome to the world of triangular markers. These triangle-shaped Magic Stix markers stay put on the tray and eliminate the need to go fishing around the seat for falling markers.

Be sure to grab a good coloring book for your kids before heading to the airport. This spiral-bound notebook from Silly Bear has more than 15,000 5-star reviews on Amazon — and for good reason. Inside, you’ll find 50 individual designs complete with unicorns, stars and rainbows. This book is sure to brighten up any flight. If you’d rather save a bit, opt for the paperback version for $4.99.

Classic card games are a great way to help the time go by quickly while traveling and also engage with your child. Put the tray table down and you and your child can spend hours playing classic games such as Go Fish and Old Maid. We’re fans of this 6-in-1 Fun Pack from Hoyle since it allows your child to rotate through multiple card games during a long flight.

Fidgets are all the rage these days. Even though parents might not understand the appeal, they can keep your otherwise bored child occupied for hours. Additionally, if your child — or even you, the parent — has a fear of flying, fidgets are a great distraction. From popping to pulling, this Rafi Nova Fidget Pouch includes seven different fidgets that all come conveniently packed in a mini pouch that’s easy to bring along in your carry-on bag.

When I was traveling with my toddler on a plane, reusable sticker pads were one of the best distractions. These sticker pads from Melissa & Doug offer many different scenes to inspire creativity for your child. Stickers can easily be moved from one page to another to allow for continuous engagement — and, if your child gets bored of the pad, they can even stick (and then remove) the stickers onto the airplane window to make their own creative story. More than 12,000 5-star reviewers on Amazon agree that this sticker pad is a great activity to keep kids entertained.

There’s no sugarcoating it: It’s extremely easy to lose items on a plane, especially when in the hands of a small child. That’s where magnetic travel games come in handy, as they’ll significantly reduce the chance of the game pieces falling all over the place.

Magnetic activities can save you — and your seat neighbors — lots of hassle on a plane. If your kids aren’t yet ready for games, this magnetic puzzle is a great option. The puzzle comes with 14 magnetic blocks that can be combined to create shapes, figures and animals of all sorts. This puzzle allows your kids — and you — to use your imagination while in flight.

If you’re looking for a way to incorporate fine motor skills on the airplane, lacing boards are the perfect activity to occupy young ones for an extended period of time. With lacing, there are very few pieces to worry about, and this set takes up minimal space in your carry-on bag. This was always one of my go-to items, and nearly 5,000 5-star reviewers on Amazon agree that kids love this set.

Wikki Stix allows your toddler’s creativity to flow while also avoiding the mess of an art project on the plane. Just open up the tray table and your child will be on their way to creating an endless number of creatures and figurines. They’re sticky, allowing your child to pair them together or to stick on pages of paper — or even the airplane window. Just be sure to clean up when you get to your destination.

You don’t have to break the bank to keep your kids entertained. Simple items like sticky notes in your desk drawer can also do the trick. They can be used to make creations on the tray table, airplane window and even the seat in front of you (as long as you don’t bother other passengers).